Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking now part of an unfortunate coincidence

Both Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking have contributed much to what we see of modern day science.

Stephen Hawking | Photo Credit: Indiatimes&nbsp

As unfortunate as it may sound, renowned British physicist Professor Stephen Hawking, who shaped our understanding of modern cosmology and inspired millions despite suffering from a progressive disorder and a life-threatening condition, died on Wednesday, 14th March 2018. He was 76. Known the world over for his acclaimed book "A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes", Hawking was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) -- a progressive neuro-degenerative disease -- in 1963 at age 21, The Guardian newspaper said.

Stephen Hawking's doctors gave him nearly two years to live but he defied the medical history and survived for decades. For the rest of his life, the physicist used a wheelchair to move around and a speech synthesizer that allowed him to speak in a computerized voice with an American accent. "Although there was a cloud hanging over my future, I found, to my surprise, that I was enjoying life in the present more than before. I began to make progress with my research. "My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all,” he once said. Also see: Why Stephen Hawking warned artificial intelligence could end humanity

Professor Hawking had over a dozen honorary degrees and was awarded the CBE in 1982 and the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1985. He was also a fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the US National Academy of Science. Interestingly, while Stephen Hawking was hailed as one of the most influential theoretical physicists ever since Albert Einstein, he never won a Nobel Prize.

Coming to the comparison between Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, these two brilliant scientists can’t be put against each other as they both share different views on a couple of theories. That said, Einstein and Hawking are often compared to each other and they both shared different views on the concept of imaginary time. Once in an interview, Hawking even went on to say, "I would ask him why he didn't believe in black holes if he was alive". Also see: Stephen Hawking dies at 76: Here are 10 things you probably didn't know about the genius

While both Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking have contributed much to what we see of modern day science, the two now also share an unfortunate coincidence and it has everything to do with the date 14th March.

The date now marks the beginning of Einstein’s legacy but at the same time, will also be remembered as the day when the world lost the brightest star i.e. Stephen Hawking. Albert Einstein’s 130th birth anniversary now coincides with the death of Hawking who died on 14th March 2018. Interestingly, Hawking was nicknamed Einstein during his school days despite having a track record of below average marks.

Professor Stephen William Hawking was one of our most famous alumni and one of the world's greatest minds. A renowned physicist and an inspiration across the globe. Stephen will never be forgotten for his contributions to science.